1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to propellants and explosives used in rocket propulsion and in explosive munitions systems and, more particularly, to metallic nano-particle-based propellants and explosives formulations containing fluoro-organo chemical compounds solids to improve the propellant's and explosive's and explosive's energy release efficiencies
2. Description of the Background
Current solid rocket propulsion munitions systems and explosive munitions systems typically contain solid energetic ingredients and lower amounts of inert binders and other chemical ingredients, preferably with fuel-additives for increased energy release. The present inventors are not the first to address the need for more efficient rocket propulsion systems, propellants and explosives. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,454,886 to Martin et al. and 5,912,069 to Yializis et al. acknowledge the utility of extremely small-sized particulate matter in the context of propellants.
Metallic additives are also well-known. For example, the Martin et al. '886 patent discloses the preparation of an aluminum nanoparticle matrix and Yializis et al. '069 includes the fabrication of metal/polymer nanolaminates. However, during the typical combustion of metal ingredients with oxygen atoms or oxygen gas, a metal oxide shell forms on the surface of the metallic particles and this inhibits the further oxidation of the metal underneath this metallic oxide, thereby reducing the overall available energy from a totally-oxidized metal.
The prior art also addresses the desirability of preventing the formation of the oxide barrier/coating of metallics with the resulting energy losses from this further oxidation by the surface oxide coating. Typically, previous concepts rely on:                1. fluorine sources such as gaseous fluorine; or        2. BF3 or inorganic fluorides; or        3. surface coating of the metallic fuel with a fluoro-polymer.        
For example, the inclusion of polymer additives to assist in boosting the available energy of a propellant, or to improve combustion efficiency, is disclosed U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,197,135 to Monte et al., 5,811,725 to Klager, 4,758,288 to Versic, 3,865,658 to Flynn, and 3,266,958 to Breazeale et al. The additives include polybutadiene (Monte et al.), polymeric azo compounds (Klager), parylene (Versic), a copolymer of formaldehyde and perfluoroguanidine (Flynn), and polybutadiene (Breazeale et al.). Moreover, fluoro-polymer additives are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,175,022 to Stout et al. (polytetrafluoroethylene) and 4,634,479 to Buford (polytetrafluoroethylene). Finally, recent studies conducted at Penn State University have indicated that the addition of a coating of Viton® aluminum particles present in a propellant mixture improves the combustion efficiency of the aluminum and the overall energy output of the propellant. Unfortunately, each of these prior art devices possesses certain limitations, especially when nano-particulate metallics are the fuel used. Coatings, especially of nano-metallic particulates, are able to add less than 1% fluor-compounds as coatings for the purpose of improving the physical/chemical/mechanical characteristics of these formulations, not for increased energy release efficiencies.
The concepts of thermobarics is a relatively recent development and researchers have not previously envisioned the benefits of using fluoro-additions in preventing the oxide inhibitions of poly-metallic chemical interactions. Therefore, there remains a need for propellants that provide an additional amount of utility in the operation of rocket propulsion systems. Materials of this type should burn completely in a predictable and controllable manner, and be non-hypergolic to provide for safe storage and handling, non-toxic or low in toxicity to enhance environmental friendliness, and be economical to manufacture in order to provide for widespread, cost-effective use.